Cadillac Williams ‘grateful’ for stint as interim Auburn coach

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. –Auburn’s interim head coach Carnell “Cadillac” Williams took responsibility for his team’s 49-27 loss to Alabama in the Iron Bowl on Saturday. There were too many mistakes, for which he said he was responsible.

But Williams couldn’t help but look back on the past month since Bryan Harsin was fired and be proud of how the players, coaches and staff have responded. Since then, with Williams as interim coach, Auburn has gone 2-2 with wins over Texas A&M and Western Kentucky.

Williams participated in the Iron Bowl as a player with the Tigers and has pondered adding another chapter to his history with the rivalry. Despite the match result, he couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by the personal accomplishment of being the first black man to serve as head coach in the Iron’s more than 100-year history. Bowl.

Williams said he told the players he made history the day before the game and “it almost broke me”.

“To be honest with you, we don’t dream of being a head coach,” Williams said. “For people after me who are striving to do these things – a lot of things in life, if you can see, you can strive for it and you can start to believe it.

“Pretty cool. Pretty cool. I’m very grateful and honored for that. Nobody can take that away from me, no matter what. Nobody.”

Despite Williams’ success as interim coach, Auburn appears to be looking elsewhere for its next head coach. ESPN reported Saturday that the school is in talks with Liberty’s Hugh Freeze.

Williams, who is also the first black coach in Auburn history, did not address Freeze or his own future in an emotional 24-minute press conference.

He said he was “humbled and honoured” by the way players have responded to him since he took over from Harsin. Being embraced by fans and administration “meant everything.”

Williams saw a broken team following Harsin’s dismissal. He said they needed help. Players weren’t doing what they should academically, he said, and that changed almost immediately.

“These last four weeks have been very special,” he said. “The future is bright.”